Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did.So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. --- Mark Twain

Saturday, August 31, 2013

Sondor

The Great Pyramid of Sondor is a small pyramid - shaped mountain 17 kilometres from the town of Andahuaylas town. The Pyramid was originally built by Chanka civilization.
Lake Pacucha - by the road beside the Pyramid.

To reach the top of the pyramid one has to cover a number of steps.

In the distance one can see another road built on the side of the mountain.

Then there is a lookout platform next to the road, climbing up to the highest platform is a bit complicated, but as the valley is much more than a kilometer deep – those additional 3 meters are not so important. The view is already powerful enough.

So again - downwards and downwards.

And up again from the other hand.

A view of the covered road.

Andes.

The traffic on the next part of the road is practically non-existent and the reason turns out a little later. Road repair works are in progress here as well and it would be possible to drive only after at 5 p.m.

A good time to have a walk in the roadside in the mountains, as it is obvious by looking at a map that Abancay will not be reached before dark. Half of the road is still ahead. Although the distance is less than 100 kilometers, but when the road construction is carried on in the mountains, there is no sense to make plans of the time. And otherwise as well when the road conditions are not known.

In Sondor I asked several locals how far Abankay was, and the response was that about 9 hours of driving, the distance is 120 km by the road.). Of course, it is a hilly area.

In a word – before sunset we could move on for a while, but it was not the first long stop. After a few hours of driving, I think it was at seven o`clock we were told that we had now to wait until to two ò`clock p.m.
It was not a very bad information, at least a certain place for sleeping and time to try to clean the car although that looks a completely hopeless endeavor, but later some more vehicles came and then we were allowed to start driving on earlier.

Certainly there were magnificent views by the road, but during the next hours it was essential to follow the super-dusty road so that to avoid driving over the edge of the road.. Then there was another longer stop, and then another. And one more.

Meanwhile, at the construction sites there were powerful floodlights lightening the being built road and of course and showing directly into the driver`s eye as well. And then again, everything was pitch black.

By ten o'clock it already seemed that soon the road would be passed, but nothing of the kind. In the next place the cars were already waiting, and it was told that before 12 o`clock nothing could move on as by that time the drivable part would be ready to use. That means a half - hour coffee break.

Then the cars could start moving.

But in the end the reconstructed road came to an end and the midnight Abankay was empty of cars.

Next – about different maps of Per, both paper cards and those used in GPS.

The following three Peruvian roads map are suitable for use while driving on bigger roads. The Rough Guide Map was purchased in Estonia, Peru Mapa Vial O and Southern Peru are bought here.

Rough Guide Map - archaeological sites are found more quickly, the road network is almost the same as on the next map. Moisture – resistant..

Peru Mapa Vial / Road Map. The map is almost equal to the previous one.

Explorandes Peru Sur – the surroundings of Abancay, a little more detailed than the previous two. Just a little.
In fact, Outside of the major roadsI used maps found from the website of Peruvian Ministry of Transport and Communications. There are two maps for every region.

And Vial – the roads with the number of the roads.
I had printed out only Turistico, and that was enough for me.

In GPS it is possible to use a free downloadable OpenStreetMap chart or a map made by www.perut.org - which is also free. In most cases, the last-mentioned map is more detailed, but here in this area they both were necessary. On both maps there were some roads missing as well.

There are two roads taking to Abancay on the OpenStreetMap map. I myself used the upper one.

Perut 4.10. Exactly the same area. The upper left hand part of the road is missing, however the right side is much more detailed. Both the MapSource ® Version as well as a separate gmapsupp.img file are available

There is also the "Garmin City Navigator South America NT ", I have not used it myself. About Peru it says - "Major Urban Areas with intertown Roads".

And there is another free downloadable Garmin map - http://viajerosmapas.com/ - perfectly ok chart about Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina. NB.The part of Bolivia was very detailed.

There are also Topomaps in Russian, - covering the whole South America, scale 1:500 000. I did not use them myself

They are over 20 years old, the mountains and the rivers are probably in the same place, but the road network has changed.

In the town of Mirafloreses in Lima one can buy Peruvian topo maps of scale 1:100 000 They are on sale at the South American Expolrers Club.
In conclusion, we can say that if only we will search a little bit on the internet, we will find enough material on Peru and all South America to print out or use in GPS as well.
And always, always, always (at least three times) should the route provided by the GPS be cheked before you start driving.